The Difference
by thelast.thingido
Summary: Belle/Regina. One Shot. Belle wants something different from Rumple, just to forget for a little while. But differences are few and far between, and forgetting is easier said than done.


AN: This is set after 4A ends, after Rumple and Robin get put across the town line. It's just a short one shot, and it's pretty awful, but I really wanted to write the two of them. I just didn't have the motivation to write them well.

This is a very soft M rating. Not much in the way of smut, but a lot of internal monologue. HEAVY mentions of Rumbelle.

* * *

It was different.

Rumple always made love to me like I was something precious, as if I would break otherwise. He had been the only person I was ever with, so I wasn't used to this. This sort of way that Regina had sex, like she wanted to break me. A constant show of possessiveness. As if she didn't know any other way. It made me wonder if she was this dominating with Robin, or if it was just because I was a woman. Or if it was me. There were things about me that she found attractive, that much was obvious. Though, I always knew the most attractive thing about me, was that I belonged to him. Still. I didn't mind the way Regina was with me tonight, not as much as I thought I would. Maybe it was the difference that I liked, the farthest thing from him. Rough sex and one night stands, something quick and full of unresolved frustration. Regina was just as frustrated as I was. Losing love did that, I supposed.

Though there were similarities, there always would be between mentor and apprentice, so a few times, I enjoyed those as well. When Regina's lips were on my neck, I moved my fingers through her hair, turning my head to give her more room, and I smelled my husband on the pillows still. So, it made me moan, and I hoped it didn't sound like his name.

She had no shame with taking me in my marital bed, so I tried not to show any either.

Regina was different.

Through the heartbreak and time spent down in her crypt, there was good in her. She had changed, after all this time, and I never thought I would've seen it for myself. Though, when she smirked at me, her hands on my body, she still looked the same as when I first met her. There were things about her that I found attractive, that much was obvious. A little disturbing to realize, yet still it was there.

"I hope he appreciated how beautiful you are." She whispered, breaking up my thoughts. Her teeth raked over my hips as her hands gripped my thighs.

"He did." I said back, breathless and anticipating the feel of something other than this. Something different.

* * *

We lied on our sides, facing each other as my fingertips traced every curve and valley of her body, making her squirm and shiver a few times. I was surprised she let me have such liberty with her, and it made me smile the whole time, as she watched my face, the whole time.

Running my nails over her hips.

"You were always too good for him." She said, as if that would be enough to make me forget him completely. None of that mattered with love, good and bad, right and wrong. You still want them, and she should know, because she was going through the same thing.

"I'm too good for you too." The pad of my thumb brushed over her nipple, causing her to gasp lightly.

"There's those teeth again."

My smile grew, and I leaned in closer, my sight on her mouth.

"I think you like my teeth."

She smiled back right before I captured her lips with mine.

* * *

I made her angry at me, the only time that night, some of the old red flashed in her eyes, not liking my question. I asked her why she never did this before. All the years I was locked away, whether under her guard or her curse, and with the magic she had—it would've been easy. If she had wanted me like this, the ultimate revenge on Rumple would've been obvious. And I listened to the guards talk outside my door. It was all I had time to do, and they would say things, about the hearts that the queen would take. The things she made the men do—

"I won't make excuses for my actions," Regina snapped, making me realize that it was a bad time to get her angry. I was kneeling between her legs, and it was all terribly awkward. She leaned up on her elbows though, as if this was no different than any other time. Her face and emotions started to pull all my attention because of it. "But I won't compare you to the men I forced loyalty on either. They were murderers and liars." Regina softened her features after a pause. "You were innocent, naïve…perhaps a bit stupid." I glared as a smirk flashed on her face, before it left again. A seriousness settled on her once more. "I wouldn't have forced you because of it. I'm not like him."

My eyebrows knitted in confusion, in understanding of what she was saying.

"He never forced me…" With all Rumple's faults, that wasn't one of them. Though with the look in her eyes, I don't think she believed that.

"Of course not," She said sarcastically. "Someone as convincing and clever as him, he wouldn't need to." I watched her mind darken, and I wanted to argue her point, for the sake of my own intelligence if anything. But with the look in her eyes, I didn't think it was a good idea.

* * *

She was walking around my bedroom, the one that was more Rumple's than mine, but I still slept here every night. Regina looked through drawers curiously, and I was too curious of her intent to stop her. I was surprised she had even stayed this long, it had been hours since we found ourselves here, and never in all the scenarios that I had in my head, would involve her actually spending the night. Our lust had wound down then back up again, and then down, plateauing nicely, with us wrapped up in sheets, bodies close but not touching. I had drifted in and out of sleep a few times, and was waiting to wake up with her gone. It didn't happen though. Not that I minded her lingering.

It was just different.

Regina moved to a dresser, wearing a robe that she had found on the back of the door, and I didn't tell her it was Rumple's. A thought struck that she was looking for the dagger, as if I was naïve and stupid enough to hide it someplace so easy to find, but before my mind could get too suspicious, Regina found what she was looking for on the top shelf of the closet.

Her eyes lit up and smiled victoriously at the bottle of expensively aged whiskey. My heart fluttered and sped up, skipping a few beats and making me lose my breath. A truly unpleasant thought struck me, as Regina made herself at home with all of The Dark One's things.

"He'll kill you for this." I said, so serious, and when her eyes met mine, there was still levity in them as she opened the bottle.

"It's just whiskey." A smirk later, she was taking a generous drink straight from it, and it was the least regal thing I had ever seen her do. Still she was gorgeous and composed, taking the burn of alcohol well, her neck and chest exposed from the loose robe. My heart fluttered and sped up a bit more.

"I wouldn't be able to convince him otherwise." She looked at me, cheeks flushed, and considering. She knew what I was talking about, of course. She just didn't seem to mind, which was bizarre to me. "Not for this."

Regina smiled, slowly moving her way towards the bed. My sight caught on the intentional sway of her hips.

"Should I make it worth it then?" Her body crawled on the bed, bottle still in hand, and shifted to make room for her path. "Something that would bring you to your knees, and beg him to spare me?" I caught the tie of the robe, pulling at it and undoing it completely. She took another small drink as she let the silk fall off of her shoulders. She was gorgeous. "That would be a sight worth dying for." Regina finally whispered once her lips were close to mine, making me smell the liquor, and wanting to taste it on her mouth.

* * *

I was tired now, tired and exhausted, as the sun started to come up and peek through the curtains. I didn't care anymore whether or not she left, but I didn't mind that she seemed to be making plans to stay, because the rise and fall of her chest was a comforting feeling against my head, as we were tangled together. Her arm around me, and fingers tracing idle designs in the skin of my arm.

"I know you miss him." Regina said suddenly, pulling me out of the grip of sleep, causing me to shift, adjusting my head onto a pillow but staying close to her. She sounded very broken all of a sudden, but it could've just been what comfort sounds like from her. The words were obvious though, obvious enough that she didn't need to say them out loud, because we've been talking about him whenever we talked about anything tonight. He's been in my head the whole time, and she knew it. "I see you cry sometimes." Regina added, and I arched my eyebrow at her confession, causing her face to stone itself from the slip in her demeanor.

"You have a very voyeuristic quality about you."

Her hand went up to trace my jawline and I felt a shiver go through me at the action.

"Old habits die hard, dear." An unexpected emotion was behind the words, sudden and intense, making my head go light and my stomach sink.

"I seem to attract the unhealthy types." My words broke a silence that was starting to grow too heavy between us, but there was no mirth in my voice, no smirks or smiles in this room because of it.

"It seems that way." Her hand fell from my jaw, and I could tell she was about to look away, so I gripped her hand in mine, keeping her attention on me.

"I believed you when you told me you were sorry." We were quiet for a moment after that. Her mouth opened once to speak, but then closing, and choosing her words carefully.

"Has that changed?" Regina asked after clearing her throat. There was fear in her for my answer.

"No." I stated simply, and I almost saw the exhale of relief escape her. "I still believe it. I'm terribly foolish like that." A small smile did ghost over my lips at that, but her face grew even more serious.

"It wasn't your fault. He was always so terribly convincing."

The sudden feeling of tears stung at my eyes, so I laid my head back down on her chest so she wouldn't see. Even though I knew she already had.

"Tell me there's a difference." I whispered, trying not to choke on the words. "I can't make the same mistake twice."

"Most days, I don't think there is," She whispered, but it sounded loud in the quiet of this bedroom, and my misted eyes turned to full tears. "And I hate myself for it." That was a confession I was sure that she had never told anyone. Her voice sounded distant, but her arm was still around me, still tracing patterns with intent of comfort. "So maybe there's your difference."


End file.
